Cox not feeling pressure as final Iron Bowl looms

Auburn has had 10 days to think about its 45-20 loss against Georgia.

The Tigers’ offense ranks 101st in the nation and 10th in the Southeastern Conference.

And archrival Alabama comes to town Saturday, determined to snap AU’s five-game win streak in the Iron Bowl rivalry.

So the pressure is on senior quarterback Brandon Cox. Right?

Not really, at least according to Cox.

Saturday’s game is a big one, of course. But he’s not worried about pressure.

As Auburn’s oldest and most experienced player, his biggest worry is keeping his younger teammates relaxed.

“It’s the biggest game of the year for us,“ he said. “I might have to keep some guys calm, don’t let guys get too excited, especially on offense.“

Staying calm isn’t a problem for the unflappable Cox, who has weathered a turbulent senior season with poise.

After a strong preseason, he struggled mightily in Auburn’s first three games. His numbers were ugly - six interceptions versus just two touchdowns. And the results were worse: Auburn started 1-2, and Cox was briefly replaced as the starter by true freshman Kodi Burns.

But Cox righted himself, leading AU to wins at Florida and at Arkansas and playing mistake-free football in a near-miss at LSU.

“I refocused and made sure I didn’t make the same mistakes,“ he said. “I had a lot of support, on and off the field.“

His teammates’ support hasn’t wavered down the stretch, even through that ugly loss at Georgia, when the early-season struggles reappeared

Cox was 14-for-30 with four interceptions and just one touchdown against UGA, and the Bulldogs dominated AU on both sides of the ball in the second half. But wideout Rod Smith doesn’t doubt that Cox gives the Tigers their best chance to win on Saturday.

“Cox, he’s a guy that had a great year in my opinion,“ Smith said. “He started off a little rough, but he picked it up. He’s come on pretty strong. I think he’s been doing a great job.“

Head coach Tommy Tuberville loves Cox’s poise, which hasn’t been shaken by the ugliness of his performance at Georgia.

“I like a quarterback like Brandon going into this game,“ Tuberville said. “He doesn’t get rattled, he doesn’t get shook.

“He can take a lick and get back up and make a big play the next play. I’m looking forward to him playing in this game.“

With a win, Cox will be 3-0 against the Tide as a starter. His predecessor, Jason Campbell, is the only other quarterback in AU history who can say the same.

Cox and his fellow seniors have a chance to set a school record with a sixth consecutive win against the Tide. They can also be the second consecutive AU senior class to graduate without ever losing to Alabama.